WIDOW Alma Collins couldn't believe it when the voice on the other end of the telephone told her she had won the £2,000 jackpot prize on Wirral's newest weekly lottery . . .

"I really was not sure whether someone was having me on!" said stunned Bebington pensioner. "I've never won anything big in my life!"

Alma, who, sadly, lost her husband six years ago, becomes only the sixth winner of the St John's Hospice in Wirral Weekly Lottery since it was launched in January.

"I joined after reading an article which said I had 700 per cent more chance of being struck by lightning than winning in the National Lottery," she told me. "Then a collector from the hospice lottery called at my home and I thought as I did not win things at least the money was for a good cause."

Alma, who suffers from arthritis and has two replacement knees, added: "This was my fourth week in the St John's lottery - winning £2,000 for an outlay of just £4 explodes the myth about me not winnning . . . I'm elated!"

Each week throughout the year, the St John's Hospice in Wirral Weekly Lottery computer selects at random the 54 numbers which will share the £3,000 weekly prizemoney - a top prize of £2,000, second prize of £500, third prize of £100, fourth prize of £50, 20 £10 winners and 30 £5 winners.

Lottery Manager Allan Stewart is thrilled that membership of the £1-a-week lottery is continuing to grow.

Officials at St John's, a registered charity, decided to launch their own local lottery following refusal of an application for National Lottery funds to help meet the £1 million annual running costs of the hospice, which provides invaluable care for the terminally ill and their families.

Membership of the St John's Hospice Lottery is open to people aged 16 or over and costs just £1 per week. That buys one ticket which gives the holder a unique number selected by computer.

The 54 winning numbers are published each week in the Wirral Globe. People who would like to join can do so by completing the form at the foot of the winning numbers advert. There are two ways to play - full details from Lottery Manager Allan Stewart at St John's Hospice Lottery Office (Tel: 334-0348).

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